"Buried and Forgotten" July 12, 2008: A Rhode Island Rev War Continental Colonel finally gets an appropriate Grave Marker
First Presbyterian Church Historic Cemetery, Morristown, New Jersey
A Web Article by Daniel M. Popek, November 2019, part of the "Buried and Forgotten" Rev War Series
This web article describes my first success in securing a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Memorial Stone for a Revolutionary
War Continental Army soldier, in this case, an officer. The glorious State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,
which left numerous KNOWN Continental Army soldiers in unmarked graves during the Revolutionary War, continues to show ZERO
leadership in putting up appropriate monuments for its deceased Civil War and Rev War soldiers. Rhode Island is so LAME and
PATHETIC, it actually has a monument (installed in 2005 by a coalition of leftist groups) on R.I. State Property that honors
PERMANENT DESERTERS (first time in American History Deserters are honored on public land). The State of Rhode Island has
earned a new nickname with this blunder: "THE DESERTER MONUMENT STATE" [http://2ndrir80.ihostfull.com/Black%20Regiment%20Deserters%20Monument.htm].
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1739, Daniel Hitchcock was the youngest of fourteen children. Daniel graduated from Yale
College in 1761, and studied and practiced law at Northampton, Massachusetts until 1771. Daniel soon established a law practice
in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1775, Daniel Hitchcock was commissioned by the Rhode Island General Assembly as a Colonel to lead
the Rhode Island Army of Observation soldiers from Providence County in one of three Rhode Island regiments that were incorporated
into the Continental Army surrounding Boston, Massachusetts. After the American Continental Army successfully forced the British
to evacuate Boston in early 1776, Colonel Hitchcock led his regiment to New York City to help in its defense. Colonel Hitchcock's
Regiment was sent to Brooklyn to assist in building fortifications near Gowanus Heights, and was later engaged in the Battle of
Long Island on August 27, 1776, losing 1 KIA, 3 POWs, and 6 MIAs (who remain unaccounted for). The KIA casualty, Private John
Elliott, and the 6 MIAs of Colonel Hitchcock's Regiment to date are mentioned on no monument.
The two 1776 Rhode Island Continental Regiments, the 9th Continental Regiment led by Colonel James Mitchell Varnum, and the 11th Continental
Regiment commanded by Colonel Daniel Hitchcock, were able to retreat successfully to the northern end of Manhattan Island. While there,
the two Rhode Island Continental Regiments participated in the Battle of Harlem Heights, both regiments taking casualties. Colonel
Hitchcock's Regiment suffered 5 KIAs and 1 MIA (who remains unaccounted for), who are mentioned on no monuments. The Rhode Island
Continental soldiers would join General Charles Lee's Continental Division and eventually participate in the second Battle of Trenton
and Battle of Princeton. Colonel Daniel Hitchcock commanded a Continental Brigade, but his health had deteriorated by tuberculosis and
the cold weather. Colonel Hitchcock was transported to Morristown, New Jersey and died there on January 13, 1777.
During research for my 2015 book on Rhode Island's Continental Line, I attempted to discover where Colonel Hitchcock was buried at, as
I found that he had no monument or grave marker whatsoever during my site visit to Morristown, New Jersey. After my inquiry to the
Morristown National Historical Park, Park Ranger Eric Olsen conducted some historical research and discovered the burial location of
Colonel Hitchcock mentioned in the Diary of Sergeant William Young of the Philadelphia Associators. Another detailed description of
Colonel Hitchcock's funeral was discover by Eric Olsen in the Diary of Captain Thomas Rodney commanding the Delaware Continental Light
Infantry Company. Colonel Daniel Hitchcock was buried in an unmarked grave in the First Presbyterian Church of Morristown, New Jersey.
After Park Ranger Eric Olsen suggested I contact the First Presbyterian Church directly, Church Historian Scott Shepherd replied to me
that the Church was more than happy to install a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs monument stone for Colonel Hitchcock after I filled
out the necessary paperwork with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. As Scott had explained, the Church in recent years discovered
other Rev War soldiers buried in their cemetery after additional historic research had been completed. The exact grave location of Colonel
Hitchcock in the First Presbyterian Cemetery remains unknown, but the Church was willing to do an Unveiling Ceremony for Colonel Hitchcock
with some volunteer reenactors of the Second New Jersey Regiment (Continental). I contacted various officials in Rhode Island, including
the Governor's Office and the Rhode Island Secretary of State, but as usual, the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations gave no
response.
While I attempted to get government officials from the State of Rhode Island to actually show up and represent the state, Church Historian
Scott Shepherd rapidly organized the "Unveiling Ceremony" which was planned for Saturday, July 12, 2008. Unfortunately, I could get no
government official from Rhode Island to even respond. So, the July 12, 2008 ceremony was held as planned with mostly New Jersey residents
in attendance. I took the following photographs at the ceremony for Colonel Daniel Hitchcock.
July 12, 2008 view of a portion of the Morristown Presbyterian Church Historic Cemetery. The Monument for
Colonel Daniel Hitchcock is covered at lower right. The original steeple of the old church is in the
background. Photo by myself.
Reenactors of the Second New Jersey Regiment (Continental) [left] led by Steve Santucci served as
an honor guard during the ceremony. The late Scott Shepherd is standing in the middle, while the
Reverend Cindy Alloway is at the right. Photo by myself.
Second New Jersey Regiment reenactors present arms in honor of Rhode Island Colonel Daniel Hitchcock.
Photo by myself.
Second New Jersey Regiment reenactors shoulder arms during the ceremony.
Photo by myself.
Second New Jersey Regiment reenactors present in "mourn arms" position in honor
of Colonel Daniel Hitchcock on July 12, 2008. Photo by myself.
Reverend Cindy Alloway finishes a prayer at the cemetery while Second
New Jersey Regiment reenactors shoulder arms. Photo by myself.
Close-up view of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Monument installed in 2008 in the
First Presbyterian Historic Cemetery in downtown Morristown, New Jersey. Photo by myself.
The original gravestone of Lieutenant Colonel William DeHart of the Second New Jersey
Regiment (Continental) who was also buried in the Morristown Presbyterian Cemetery.
Photo by myself.
An early monument to unknown Revolutionary War soldiers buried in 1777 erected by the
Daughters of the American Revolution in the First Presbyterian Chuch Cemetery.
Photo by myself.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Morristown National Historical Park NPS Ranger Eric Olsen for conducting historical research and discovering the cemetery where
Colonel Daniel Hitchcock was buried at in January 1777. The late Scott Shepherd [1932-2011] of the First Presbyterian Church of
Morristown, New Jersey showed excellent leadership in getting the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Memorial Stone installed in the
historic church cemetery and organizing the Unveiling Cemetery for Colonel Hitchcock's Memorial Stone on July 12, 2008. Thanks to Matt Ford,
Carlton Bruen, and others of the Morristown Presbyterian Church for physically installing the heavy memorial stone. The Reverend Cindy Alloway
of the Church led the Invocation and Benediction at the ceremony. Steve Santucci and others of the Second New Jersey Regiment (Continental)
reenacting group provided an honor guard at the ceremony.
As the only Rhode Island native who attended the ceremony, I have to apologize for the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations' lack of
leadership and respect shown for Colonel Daniel Hitchcock and the few hundred other KNOWN Rhode Island Continental soldiers that are lying
at rest in unmarked graves at places like Red Bank, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wilmington, Delaware, Elkton, Maryland (just to
name a few). If Rhode Island had its act together, appropriate monuments would have been erected decades ago...
Sources
Daniel M. Popek, They "...fought bravely, but were unfortunate...," The True Story of Rhode Island's
"Black Regiment" and the Failure of Segregation in Rhode Island's Continental Line, 1777 - 1783, AuthorHouse, 2015.
[my own book which covers the colored and white soldiers of Rhode Island's Continental Line in a balanced and
accurate account]
If you have any comments or have manuscript evidence concerning Rhode Island Revolutionary War
soldiers, then please send me an email.